Loyola University Medical Education Network

Properties of the ideal therapeutic radiopharmaceutical


Effective half-life

Therapeutic effects are generally desired relatively quickly following radionuclide therapy; therefore, the effective half-life should ideally be measured in hours or days as opposed to longer time units. Good examples of therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals with an ideal teff include I-131 sodium iodide for treatment of hyperthyroidism (teff is 6 days) and Ho-166 FHMA for intraarticular radiation synovectomy (teff is 1.2 days).


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Stephen Karesh, PhD.

Last Updated: August 14, 1996
Created: March 1, 1996